CCNote: Sorry for making some of you cry with the last chapter. Does it get better…kinda? I guess? Things change, life happens. As with the summary, nothing stays the same no matter how much we wish for it to. I am highly flattered to have brought forth some emotions with my writing! It's the biggest compliment you could give an author. I'm also am happy that so many people are enjoying my writing style lol. I write the way I wish to read so I'm so happy some people like it!
Anywho, my thirds years are now taking their exit exams and will be gone by the end of the week. Most won't return to school until it's time for graduation in March. Our last class had some tears and lots of 'I love you's', I'm wishing my babies the best of luck in their future endeavors! In the meantime, I now have huge holes of time in my day but it's being eaten away with Valentine's Day Letter Exchanges (aka making sure they write school appropriate shit) and planning a trip to South Korea. IDK when I'll be able to update like I used to but hopefully it's soon. So without further ado, please enjoy! Don't forget to leave a REVIEW!
V is for Patches
Friday April 27 2029 6:31pm
Little Chrysanthemum Ballet Studio
….
"Oh, Fugaku I think they're going to open the doors now!"
Mikoto stood on her tiptoes, stretching to her full height in a vain attempt to see over the people in front of her. Even though she knew it was impractical for such a casual event she regretted listening to her husband and forgoing her heels for flats. Spilling out of the side doors of the auditorium were dozens of little girls adorned uniformly in pink tulle and leotards. They scrambled between the legs of the adults, excited to have performed on stage for the first time. Hikari was small for her age but she had no trouble elbowing her way through the crowd to reach them with a huge smile on her face. Once she had them in her sights, she immediately launched herself at Fugaku who was more than used to the torpedo treatment.
"Did you see me, Papa? Did you see me?" she asked as he picked her up in his arms.
"Of course I did! There was nothing else to look at but you!" he smiled and Hikari's eyes widened.
"I was good right?"
"You did very well."
"I'm the best right?"
"Is there anyone better?"
Mikoto giggled at the banter between her granddaughter and husband. If Fugaku kept this up, Hikari would grow into a woman with an even bigger ego than her father. The former matriarch's smile widened at the prospect. It didn't matter if Hikari's ego was inflated to the size of the moon, if she was able to make her husband smile like that she'd let it happen. Fugaku looked over at her and smirked as if he'd been reading her thoughts the entire time. They'd been together for so long it wouldn't surprise her if he actually could. With a grunt, he adjusted Hikari securely on his hip and held out his hand for her to take it. Slowly he led the three of them through the crowd and out to the parking lot where their driver was waiting.
"I have your performance recorded. Would you like to watch it in the car?" Mikoto asked and Hikari nodded her head emphatically.
"Yes please! Then we can show my mommy and daddy and Hiro and Haji and Honoka and Uncle Naruto and Ito and Aunt Ino and-"
"Yes, yes. We'll be sure to show everyone." Mikoto laughed, interrupting Hikari before she rattled off the names of every person she'd ever met in her short five years of life.
"Did you make sure your thumb wasn't in the way?" Fugaku teased.
"That was only one time!"
"Well, that made us miss out on Haji's winning word."
"I don't think he's forgiven me for that quite yet." Mikoto sighed and her husband's laugh echoed through the night.
"I don't believe he ever will."
Mikoto smiled as she recalled Hajime's shocked face when the last quarter of his spelling bee video consisted of nothing but muffled noise and her finger over the lens. The final word had been 'saccharine', a word that even she had no idea how to spell. Hajime, on the other hand, had spelled the word without a moment's hesitation.
"Haji will forgive you. He forgives Daddy all the time for burning the cookies and he forgave me and Hiroto for killing his old fish and his new fish." Hikari said as they approached their black town car. Their driver was already standing next to the car, dutifully holding the door open.
"Perhaps we should stop buying him fish since you two kill them all?" Fugaku said with a shake of his head.
"It was an accident. We said sorry." The five-year-old replied with a shrug of her shoulders as Fugaku put her down on the ground.
Hikari immediately scrambled into the town car and began buckling herself into her booster seat. Just as Mikoto was about to follow her in, Fugaku placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him, unsure of what gave him pause, but as soon as their eyes connected she knew why. Those same obsidian orbs he'd passed down to their sons and their grandchildren were like an open book. There was an unspoken apology, one that she didn't need or want. There was sadness for the life that they could have- should have had. Above all else there was happiness and that was the only thing she'd wished to see in his eyes since the day she married him.
Slowly, her lips parted into a smile and she placed her own hand over his. Without a word she gave his hand a small squeeze before letting him go and slipping into the car. They had never been ones for sweet words that were laced with sweet 'I love you's'. Fugaku closed the door behind her before getting into the passenger's seat.
"Hey, Papa." Hikari asked as the driver put his key into the ignition and brought the town car roaring to life. "Do you think Haji and Hiro and Ito and Honoka are sleeping?"
"I doubt it. If they haven't driven the staff crazy, I'd say they're waiting up for you."
"I hope so! Ito has a new video game. He has only two controllers but he promised me that I could play it. He said he'd show me how to be better than Hiro. Hiro is really good a video games right?"
Mikoto smiled and started removing the thousands of bobby pins that had been used to put her granddaughter's hair in a bun.
"Oh, Hiro is very very very good." Mikoto said and Hikari gasped.
"Really?"
"Really. However, I don't see why you can't be better."
Hikari clapped her hands together, a look of determination in her dark eyes.
"I'll beat him! I won't let Ito sleep until I'm better than Hiro!"
"I'm sure the little fox will be more than willing to get out of going to bed. The boy has endless reserves of energy." Fugaku replied.
For a moment, Hikari was satisfied with remaining silent and sitting like a good girl as Mikoto undid her hair. The raven locks fell down to her shoulders and when the last bobby pin was gone, the older woman gently massaged her scalp with the pads of her fingers. If only Hikari's namesake could see her now. Her best friend would have been more than content to play in her granddaughter's hair and know that the daughters she left behind were happy and healthy. Happiness. That was all Hikari Hyuuga had hoped for her daughters to attain.
"Next time..." Hikari said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Next time will mommy and daddy come to see me too?"
Mikoto smiled, sliding her fingers out of her granddaughter's hair to playfully attempt pinching her cheeks. As Hikari giggled at the treatment, out of the corner of her eye she noticed a bright white light barreling towards them. Outside of the car, horns blared loudly and tires screeched against the pavement. For the briefest of moments, she caught the reflection of her husband's eyes in the windshield and her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. Quickly, Mikoto unbuckled her own seatbelt and placed herself between Hikari and the white light that engulfed the car.
"Hikari. Look at me. Only me-"
….
Saturday November 5th 2029 1:00pm
Uchiha Compound- Main House
….
Sasuke let out a short breath as he steadied the cello between his legs. Absently he slid his fingers against the instrument's taunt string, not yet ready to make it sing. It had been years since he'd ever laid eyes on his cello. Nearly ten years since the last time he'd plucked at its strings. Life had gotten in the way of his practice. There had been diapers to change and board meetings to attend. There had been days so blissful sometimes he'd have to remind himself that his life was a dream. Other days he'd been so depressed he couldn't even respond to the emails that had been marked as important by his staff. Those days were all that consumed him now. Every day blended together with a uniform grayness, no distinction from one hour to the next.
His lips pursed into a tight line as his fingers gripped the neck of the cello, notes frozen on their tips. Taking a deep breath, he dragged his bow across the strings and shivered at the sour note. Why was he doing this? Why did everything, even breathing, hurt so much? In the back of his mind, he knew the answer his brother would give him. He'd tell him he was being foolish. To Itachi, he had always been a fool…
…."You need to learn when to stop." Itachi reprimanded from the kitchen.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and slumped further into the couch. It was easy for Itachi to swoop in out of the blue and think he knew everything. He looked down at his upturned palms and tried to will his fingers to move.
"Didn't I tell you to stop." Itachi said and Sasuke nearly jumped out of his skin. Why the hell was his brother so quiet?
"It's not like it hurts." He grumbled in an attempt to save face.
Itachi only shook his head and placed two bags of ice into his hands. Sasuke shivered at the cold, glaring at his brother for the torment. Stupid Itachi.
"If you have something to say you should say it."
"Hn."
"Well then, if you have nothing of importance to say." Itachi sniffed. "Tell me why you're pushing yourself like this?"
Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and looked away from his elder's probing eyes. It's not like Itachi would understand the need to practice. He was already good at everything. He was the best at school, got tons of academic awards, and everyone in their clan respected him. Most of all he got the acknowledgment of their father. Their father never had time for him, a mere spare, but he always had time for Itachi. The only time their father even looked his way was when he did something wrong. He didn't want that kind of attention though. He wanted his father to look at him like he did Itachi. In order to do that he had to be better than Itachi. To be better than Itachi meant that he had to practice-
"Sasuke." Itachi growled, breaking the preteen from his thoughts. "If you don't tell me why I'll tell Mother your hands have cramped."
"You wouldn't understand."
"Foolish little brother." Itachi smirked and poked him in the middle of his forehead.
"Hey!" Sasuke protested, nearly letting go of the ice bags to cover his forehead. "What did you do that for?"
"No one will ever be able to understand you if you don't let them."….
….No one will ever be able to understand you if you don't let them. Those words had never been truer than when it came to Itachi. No matter how hard he tried to, Sasuke was never quite able to understand his brother due to that simple reason. Itachi had never let him understand. With a sigh he stopped playing, leaning back in his chair. Why? Why didn't he say anything? Why did he do this? Why- a small tug on the sleeve of his shirt broke him from his thoughts and brought him tumbling back down to reality. At his right, two big black eyes stared up at him imploringly.
"Hikari." He said, her name catching uncomfortably in his throat.
She blinked at him and silently tugged at his clothing. At times like these, he wished that Hinata was around to figure out what Hikari wanted. She and Hiroto were the only ones who seemed to intuitively know what she wanted without her devolving into tears of frustration. The fact that he had no idea how to care for his daughter the way she needed to be only added to wrenching of his stomach. As little fingers continued to pull at his sleeve, he started to lower his arm to put down his bow. Hikari immediately started shaking her head at the retraction and tried to push his arm back up. Sasuke looked at the five-year-old curiously, unsure of what it is that she wanted from him.
"What is it Hikari?" he asked and she opened her mouth to answer him.
When no sound came out, she closed her mouth and scrunched up her face. Emphatically she pointed at the instrument which was nearly twice her size. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the clearer but still odd request. The children's playroom was just below the family library. She must have been able to hear him playing. The corner of his lips twitched as one of her little hands started hitting his forearm while the other continued to point at his cello.
"As bossy as always." Sasuke smirked and she puffed out her cheeks at the comment.
Experimentally, Sasuke played a short 'C' note and Hikari's eyes widened. When he played a longer 'C' her mouth fell open. Now emboldened by her amazement he played a short little tune and her eyes lit up. The melody was only for a few seconds but it was more than sufficient to spark a light of happiness in those big obsidian eyes. Suddenly, a bit of the tension he'd been feeling started to loosen.
"Hikari do you like this?" he asked. "Would you like to learn?"
His daughter eagerly nodded her head. Sasuke smirked at her enthusiasm, reminded immediately of Hinata's reaction when he'd first played his cello for her. She had been just as amazed by the instrument as Hikari was now. That had been almost ten years ago but it felt like a lifetime. Placing his bow down on the ground, Sasuke straightened his cello between his legs and motioned for Hikari to stand in front of him.
"This is a cello." He said and Hikari gave him a short nod of understanding, soaking in every syllable. "This note is 'C'."
He plucked at the thickest string.
"This is 'A'."
….
Saturday November 5 2029 1:00pm
DayBreak Coffee
…...
"Ah, that was great!" Ino sighed as she plopped down into a chair at their table. "We should really do this more often."
"I'm surprised you even have time for something like this seeing as how you have to help run the country and all." Tenten grinned mischievously as Ino frantically waved a hand in front of her face, desperate for Tenten to lower her voice.
Hinata giggled at their antics, knowing all the while that Ino was ultimately safe. Tenten's old place of employment was nearly empty save for themselves and the employees. Her usual bodyguards were in plain clothes and appeared to just be loitering outside of the tiny coffee shop but were really deterring people from entering. For added 'coverage' she'd taken to putting her easily distinguishable blonde hair up into a purple knitted cap and wore extra-large shades that hid nearly two-thirds of her face. It wasn't that she minded being spotted in public per se. It was being spotted going to the places they'd been to today. Hinata blushed and eyed the stiff, glossy black bags sitting in the empty chair next to her. No, it certainly wouldn't do for the public to see the Hokage's wife doing that…
…When was the last time she'd been to a place like this? Hinata gulped as she took in the seductively dressed mannequins. Each time she'd been to an establishment like this she'd practically been dragged in. The first time had been by Sasuke for her birthday and the last being Hanabi. That last excursion had made her swear off entering another lingerie boutique again.
"Come on Hinata." Ino said in a hurried whisper as she looked up and down the sidewalk. "We can't just stand here all day.
No…no they couldn't. On the off chance that anyone with ulterior motives recognized Ino it would turn an awkward day into a bad one. Reluctantly, she followed Ino and Tenten into the heavily perfumed shop and prayed that her heart would stop beating so fast. At almost thirty-six years old it was unbelievable that she was still this embarrassed.
The inside of the shop was shockingly pink with shades of said color dripping with drapery from the ceiling. It almost gave one the feeling of being inside of a tent, a supposed sense of security and secrecy. Unfortunately, that sense wasn't getting across to the matriarch, all she felt was claustrophobic. The scantily clad mannequins held nothing to the risqué young women that attended the shop. It was one thing to see nighties on an inanimate object, it was a whole other thing to see them on women ten years younger than her. Just as she was about to bolt, Ino looped her arm through hers and dragged her further into the shop.
"Ino, maybe we should go somewhere else." Hinata whispered worriedly as the blonde dragged her over to a table where Tenten was already rifling through neatly folded panties. "Are you sure it's okay for you to be here?"
"Hm? Of course, it is." She replied with a shrug and removed her sunglasses and hat.
Hinata eyed a young curly haired woman changing out the bra on a nearby mannequin. She wasn't paying them any attention but Hinata still felt a bit unsettled.
"What if someone recognizes you?" she asked and Ino flashed her a smile.
"They know me here of course." She chuckled and leaned in close. "I'd say that most of the women here are the mistresses of some very influential men. They set them up here to work and visit under the guise of buying something nice for their wives. They're very helpful, would you like for one of them to size you? Your bust has gotten smaller did you know that?"
"W-what?" she stammered, her face heating up once more. "I…I don't know about this-"
"It's fine Hinata I swear." Ino reassured and tilted her head towards the curly haired woman dressing the mannequin. "She's been the mistress to the Mizukage for almost three years. She likes hot chocolate and has like three cats. The redheaded girl behind the counter just started here a couple of weeks ago. She's with the head ambassador to the Raikage. Pretty funny, keeps to herself mostly-"
"Okay, okay I get it. How do you know so much?"
Ino turned away from her and shrugged, reaching out to grab a pair of dark purple panties.
"Secrets are powerful. That and Naruto keeps ripping my underwear so I'm a pretty frequent customer."….
….'I wonder if Sasuke will have a similar reaction.' Hinata thought to herself but immediately pushed away the thought. It was much too inappropriate for a coffee shop! Besides…Sasuke hadn't been the same lately.
"What are you blushing about Hina?" Tenten asked with a suspicious quirk of her eyebrow.
"Hmmm, I bet she's having dirty thoughts!" Ino chuckled. "Do share."
Hinata felt her entire face begin to burn at Ino's open perversion while Tenten only crossed her arms over her chest.
"Only you like to hear about other people's sex lives as if you don't already have an active one of your own."
"Whats the point of having girlfriends if you can't hear about all of their dirty details."
"Oh, Ino." Tenten groaned, a small smile breaking through her usual even-keel demeanor.
"In any case, you should definitely take my advice Ten. I swear it works." Ino replied and the woman in question rolled her eyes.
"I don't need to seduce my husband."
"And why not? It's fun for everyone."
"You're a pervert."
"So?"
Hinata smiled as the two of them continued to bicker back and forth. She missed this. She missed spending time with her friends when it was just the three of them. It was almost like how it used to be. Before they got married. Before they had children. Before obligations crept in and drifted them away from one another from time to time. It wasn't so bad. In a strange way, the paths their lives had gone had brought them even closer than they were previously. In fact, they were a real family now. However, it was nice to be able to laugh with each other with the children underfoot or a husband interrupting their conversation. It was nice.
"Your drinks are ready!" Announced a petite waitress carrying a steaming tray of caffeine on a tray.
She set a cup of green tea in front of Tenten and a caramel macchiato for Ino. A cup of black tea was placed in front of herself and Hinata could already feel her muscles relaxing. She hadn't had a peaceful cup of tea in months. Any time she found herself with a lull in her day there was always something else that needed her immediate attention. Quickly she brought the mug to her lips and savored the tea as it went down. As the bell above the café door jingled, Hinata felt her eyes slide shut. This tea was too good.
"Wow. No honey. No sugar. You sure have a changed." A familiar voice said and Hinata's eyes popped open.
Standing before them was Sakura Haruno, a woman that she'd once considered a close friend. A woman Hinata imagined still hated her guts since she refused to attend any events if she was going to be there. Sure she said she had hospital duty but Hinata doubted that Sakura was on duty for every single one of Ito's birthdays. Yet, despite the cold shoulder for the last ten years, the woman was still smiling brightly at her. Her overall appearance hadn't changed much. She was still stunningly beautiful with green eyes that she'd always secretly envied.
"Why don't you pull up a chair?" Tenten asked but Sakura shook her head and adjusted the black messenger bag hanging from her shoulder.
"Sorry but I can't." she said with a smile. "I just got done with a shift and my mom wants to have me over for dinner. She swears she never sees me enough. I just thought I'd stop by because Ino said you were here and since it's only a block from my mom's house I thought I'd say hi."
"Busy, busy, busy." Ino sighed, wiping the whip cream mustache off of her upper lip with a napkin. "Always busy."
"You're one to talk." Sakura laughed before turning her eyes back to Hinata "Actually…I do have another reason for showing up like this."
Hinata watched as her former friend opened her messenger bag and rummaged around in its contents. After a moment she pulled out a plain manilla envelope and handed to her. Hesitantly, Hinata took the folder, unsure of whether or not she wanted to open it.
"It won't bite you I swear." Sakura laughed, adjusting her bag again. "Everything is paid in full as well. It's not equal but hey, I do only work at a hospital. Anyway, see ya ladies."
Sakura waved them goodbye and before Hinata could even collect her thoughts she was gone. She didn't even get a chance to say 'thank you.'
"What was that all about?" Tenten asked as the café bell rang with Sakura's departure.
"Yea…are you two even talking again?" Ino inquired.
Hinata shook her head. She was just as confused as they were. Slowly she opened up the folder and the very first thing she saw was a flyer for a children's class. More specifically it was a class for sign language. A lump caught in her throat. How did Sakura know about Hikari? Did Tsunade tell her? No…Tsunade would never do that. If not Tsunade then who? How?
Tsunade had floated the idea of getting Hikari into a sign language course but she'd been putting it off. Part of her still hoped that her daughter would start speaking again. There was nothing wrong with her….nothing wrong. Yet, every day she watched Hikari struggle to communicate. It frustrated the five-year-old to the point of tears to not be able to say anything. Hinata sighed and closed the folder. What her daughter needed wasn't hope…she needed help. Perhaps this could be a way to finally get her back to the vibrant girl she'd been only a few months before.
….
Saturday November 5 2029 3:07pm
Uchiha Compound- Main House
….
Hinata smiled tightly and waved at the clan members she passed as she walked through the compound. She answered their pleasantries with more of her own but all the while keeping in mind how easily their opinions could be swayed. People, she realized, were fickle creatures. With a sigh, she walked up the path to her own house and quickly unlocked the door. While most of her day had been fun, Sakura's 'gift' had reminded her of the obligations she had at home. Hikari was probably hungry and Sasuke would have no clue what to do with her. She needed to wrangle Hajime into doing something other than just reading and make sure that Hiroto actually did read.
However, upon opening the door to the house she'd expected the usual silence of everyone off to their own devices. Instead she heard the sounds of delighted yelling emanating from the kitchen. Abandoning her bags in the foyer, she quickly removed her shoes and made her way through the house to figure out what was going on.
"Dammit Hiro!" she heard her husband curse as she made her way down the hall, the smell of something beginning to burn accompanying the less than ideal word.
"Ooo I'm telling Mother you said a bad word!"
"Yea I'm telling her too!"
Hinata peeked her head around the corner and saw her usually pristine kitchen in shambles. Chocolate handprints were on every surface, a thin layer of flour coating the room. Two chocolate splattered ten-year-olds ran around the kitchen, dodging their equally messy father. Hikari sat on top of the granite island, clapping her hands with excitement at the Uchiha men rushing around her. Every so often she would reach into the opened egg carton next to her and drop an egg on the floor.
"What is going on here?" Hinata demanded, horrified at the state of anarchy that was occurring.
Her husband immediately stopping chasing the twins but the boys ran towards her. Sticky, chocolate covered hands tugged on her clothing as they both tried to get her attention at once. Hikari dropped another egg onto the floor.
"Your children are terrible." Sasuke said as he threw a dirty dish towel over his shoulder.
"Nuh uh! Father said a bad word." Hiroto said and Hajime frantically nodded his head.
"Yea and he's burned the brownies." The elder twin added.
Hikari dropped an egg.
Hinata's eyes widened as the smell of something burning in the oven. Quickly she jumped into action and turned off the oven and opened the oven door. Black smoke billowed out and engulfed the kitchen in a pungent order despite her immediately reclosing the door. A telltale crack from behind her let her know that Hikari had dropped yet another egg on the floor. Hinata turned around and picked a flour dusted Hikari up off of the counter and set her back down on the floor.
"Hajime. Hiroto. Go help Hikari get cleaned up." She said and the boys immediately sprang into action.
They each grabbed one of the youngest Uchiha's hands and shepherded the confused girl out of the room before she realized she couldn't crack any more eggs. As the children departed Hinata turned back to the mess in the kitchen, already feeling fatigued by the daunting task that lay before her.
"How did this happen?" she sighed as she picked up a bowl of half-used brownie mix and started placing utensils inside of it.
"The twins decided that they wanted to bake on their own. Somewhere in the middle of doing so, they got into a fight." Sasuke replied simply, leaning back onto the counter next to the sink with his arms crossed over his chest. "Why are you cleaning this up? They are old enough to clean up after themselves."
Hinata bit her bottom lip to keep herself from retorting and brushed past him to get to the sink. Sure the boys were old enough now to clean this mess up but she partially blamed herself. If she'd been home the boys wouldn't have felt the need to try to cook something for themselves. They would have come to her instead of wrecking her kitchen and nearly burning the house down. She reached out to turn on the faucet but Sasuke grabbed her wrist.
"Hinata." He said. "Stop. They can clean this."
"If I'd been home-"
"If you had been home they would have found something else to get into. They're ten. That's what they do."
"They need someone watching them."
"What they need is for you to stop hovering."
"I'm not hovering-"
"Yes, you are."
Hinata snatched her wrist away from him and moved away from the sink since he wouldn't let her turn it on. Instead, she started gathering more dirty dishes from off of the counter.
"They don't need you to do everything for them. If you keep treating them like babies they will not know how to rely on themselves."
"Well, who else do they have to rely on? You?" Hinata snapped, the words tumbling from her lips before she could stop herself. Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed as he pushed away from the countertop.
"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked but it came out as more of a demand.
"Nothing."
"Hinata." He said, taking a few steps closer to her. His footsteps echoed off of the kitchen tiles.
Hinata looked away and tried to skirt away from him. Her avoidance was futile as he grabbed her upper arm and whirled her around to face him.
"Sasuke-" she gasped and unsuccessfully tried to break away but his grip was too tight.
"What do you mean?" he growled, ignoring the clatter of dishes that she dropped on the floor in surprise.
"Let me go!"
"Answer me dammit!"
Without thinking, Hinata used her free hand to slap him and the sting of the hit caused him to immediately let go of her. She took a step back but found her path impeded by the kitchen island. Holding her stinging hand to her heaving chest, she watched as Sasuke pieced together the fact that she'd struck him. Slowly, he raised a hand up to gingerly touch his rapidly reddening cheek.
"You shouldn't curse." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.
….
"Thank you for taking them on such short notice." Hinata said as she handed Neji a small green bookbag covered in dinosaur stickers.
He took the bag from her and put his arm through one of the straps to have it hang from his back. It was odd to see Neji with a dinosaur bookbag on his back, especially since he was starting to have an uncanny resemblance to her father as the years went by.
"It's no problem. Honoka enjoys having people around her own age." Neji said with a slight nod to the car parked in front of their house.
Hinata smiled knowingly as she brought her now empty arms protectively around herself. There weren't too many children running around the Hyuuga compound and her father wasn't the best playmate for a little girl. Any time that the Hyuga heiress got a chance to spend time with her cousins was more than welcome. Even so, she hated imposing upon Neji at the last minute like this. This was also the first night the children had spent away from home since the accident. She'd already explained to Tenten Hikari's night time routine but that didn't stop her from worrying. Nor did it stop Hikari from crying inconsolably as her brothers got her into the backseat of the car.
"Are you alright Hinata?" Neji asked and she quickly gave him a stiff nod. He didn't buy it. "Don't lie to me."
"I'm not lying, I promise. Everything is fine." She reassured but Neji remained unconvinced.
It didn't matter that she was no longer apart of the Hyuuga clan, the mother of three children, or the matriarch of a clan of her own. She would always be someone he wanted to protect. Smiling at her cousin's default nature, she uncrossed her arms and wrapped them around him instead. Neji was never much of a hugger so he didn't return the gesture but it was comforting to be close to him like this.
"Be safe getting back to the compound." She said and let him go.
He still eyed her suspiciously but didn't inquire any further. Once he and the children had driven away, she closed the door to her home. She leaned against the heavy wood and let out a breath she hadn't realized that she'd been holding. She'd only been able to hold her composure long enough to hurriedly pack her children's clothes and send them on their way. They'd never seen her cry before and today would not be the start. As her eyes began to sting she pushed off of the front door and made her way through the house to the living room. From there she slid open the glass door that led to the backyard, once again met with the crispness of a waning summer night.
The backyard of the Uchiha mansion was small. It by no means could ever rival the expansively sprawling grounds of the Hyuuga compound but Hinata found that she enjoyed this garden infinitely more. Neji had allowed her to transplant parts of her mother's carefully cultivated rose bushes and they flourished in this soil. Not only did the roses to well but so did the hydrangeas in the summer and the tulips in the spring. Everything planted in this soil seemed to thrive and multiply and over the years she had been content with its growth. These last few months, however, she'd neglected the garden. Many of her flowers were beginning to droop and none of her roses had yet to bloom for the season. The neglect coupled with the unusually dried summer was taking its toll on her most prized possession.
The burning in her eyes intensified as she looked out at her neglected garden. How had it gotten to be this way? Mikoto would surely chastise her for the state of abandonment. She'd loved this garden almost as much as she did. The thought of her deceased mother-in-law was enough to finally break the dam and once the tears started they racked entire body. Her vision blurred with the flood of tears and she tried to wipe the tears away but to no avail. The only thing she could do was to cover her mouth so the neighbors wouldn't hear her sobs. What was she supposed to do know? How was she supposed to keep her family functioning when it felt that she herself was falling apart?
Mikoto always made things look so easy and effortless. Over the years she'd allowed the woman into her heart…into a position her own mother had once held. Now she was gone, just like her mother. What would she say if she saw her like this? So pathetic…so inept. Some Uchiha matriarch she was, she could hardly keep her family going let alone deal with all of the duties that she'd been neglecting recently. She couldn't even water her own plants. She let out a choked sob, muffled by her own hand.
'Pathetic.' She thought bitterly.
"Hinata." Sasuke called out and she jumped at the sound of his voice.
She hadn't even heard the back door slide open. Frantically she tried her best to wipe away her tears and turned around to face him. He stood on the back deck, his hands shoved into his jean pockets and a slightly rumpled black t-shirt. Even from this distance, she could see that he hadn't dried off his hair properly from his shower and part of her wanted to nag him about it. Didn't he know that he'd catch a cold like that? Yet, even though her mind formed the words she was unable to speak. She had no right to bother him about his health, not after the way she'd treated him earlier. She could still see the evidence starkly contrasting against his pale skin. Her heart began to beat faster, unable to tear her eyes away from the bright red mark on his right cheek. Slowly he stepped down into the garden, his dark eyes steadily remaining on her as he did so. He was only a couple of feet away when he finally spoke.
"You haven't been eating."
Hinata blinked, surprised that those were the first words out of his mouth. She pressed a hand against her flat stomach. She wasn't hungry and her stomach wasn't growling since she'd eaten only a few hours ago at the coffee shop.
"When I…grabbed you earlier." Sasuke started, tearing her away from her perplexity. "Your arm was thinner. All of you is thinner."
"Oh." Hinata mumbled as she pushed some of her hair behind her ear.
Tsunade had been lecturing her about her weight more and more with every appointment for Hikari. Hinata didn't see it as too much of a problem. Sure her clothing was a bit looser but when she looked in the mirror she still looked the same. At least to herself, she did. Sasuke took a step closer to her, grass crunching beneath his soles.
"You haven't been taking care of yourself." He said and Hinata merely shrugged her shoulders, unsure of how to respond. "Why?"
"I…I am…I mean I have been."
"You're lying."
Hinata turned away from him, fighting to keep from crying again. She didn't want to worry him with her own fears and insecurities. She didn't want to be yet another burden. Behind her, she heard the soft crunching of the grass as he crossed the distance between them. He didn't touch her but she could feel the warmth radiating off of his body. This was the closest he'd stood to her in so long…the only time he stood near her seemed to be when they were fighting. Silently, tears finally resumed falling down her cheeks.
"Why?" Sasuke asked, this time his voice was soft and no longer held the same accusatory edge as before.
"Sasuke…what are we doing?" She said, treading carefully with her words.
"What do you mean?" he replied, taking a step back. She shivered at the distance but didn't turn around.
"I…I don't know. I feel like a stranger to you. You don't talk to me. When you are home you close yourself off from me and the children. I don't get it."
"You wouldn't understand."
At those words, Hinata finally whirled around and stared defiantly back at him. How dare he. After being together for over ten years how dare he. What was the point of being married if they kept secrets from one another? What was the point if they didn't trust each other with their feelings? What good was she to him as a wife if he believed that she couldn't understand his innermost thoughts?
"How am I supposed to understand you if you don't let me?" she asked and his lips parted slightly in surprise. "If you don't talk about your feelings you'll end up no better than my father."
Sasuke snorted and crossed his arms over his chest.
"I am nothing like Hiashi."
Hinata raised an eyebrow at that statement but Sasuke deliberately ignored her. She smirked and shook her head. He was like her father in more ways than one and stubbornness against facts that didn't fit their reality was certainly one of them. Boldly, she took a couple of steps towards him to close the distance between them. With shaking fingers she slid her hands up his arms to coax him into uncrossing them. Once he did, she intertwined her fingers with his.
"Sasuke…everyone is hurting right now and that's okay. It's okay to be hurt. It's okay to be angry."
"Hinata." He whispered and her lips quivered as she continued to speak.
"But it's not okay to stop being a father to our children. If…you want to stop being my husband that's one thing but don't stop being their father. You have to at least let them in."
She held her breath, waiting for his response but a verbal one never came. Instead, he let go of her hands and brought his own up to her face. Her eyes fluttered closed as his lips came close to hers and for the first time in months she felt his lips. The sensation felt familiar but at the same time unsure. His thumbs caressed her cheeks, wiping away the tears that continued to fall. Tears that were a strange mixture of sadness, longing, and hope. When he broke away from her, her eyes slowly opened and she realized that he was crying as well although he didn't seem to notice. With a short shake of her head, she reached up and caressed his reddened right cheek, using her thumb to caress the sore skin and wipe away oblivious tears.
"I'm sorry-" she started to say but was silenced by his lips against hers once more.
This time his lips were demanding, demonstrating a hunger that had been laid dormant. Sensing his desperation she opened her mouth to him willingly and allowed him to take control. Greedy hands left her face and tugged at the edge of her t-shirt. She didn't hesitate to comply with the demand and took the offending article off. Sasuke inhaled sharply at the sight of her, bringing a hand up to slide along her side. She shivered under his touch, relishing the fact that he was even touching her after so long.
His lips found hers once more and at some point her back found the grass. His body moved against hers with a practiced synchrony that could only be found with someone who knew her body as well as he did. She moaned as his teeth grazed her skin, once more marking her possessively in several places and reminding her that she was in fact his. When she touched him and her name tumbled reverently from his lips, she knew that he was hers. As he became one with her right there in the garden she glimpsed the sight of one tiny rosebud with soft pink petals jutting out but not yet ready to bloom. However, with care and diligence, she knew it would be the most beautiful late bloom of the season.
….
Sunday November 6 2029 8:45am
Uchiha Compound- Main House
…
Sasuke let out a low grunt as he pulled the long green garden hose away from the side of the house and towards the neglected garden. He'd been up before dawn tending to the weeds and trying to restore the area to its former glory. Seeing Hinata cry in front of her overwrought rose bushes had been a bridge too far for him. He still didn't know all of the worries that plagued his wife. Last night had been spent making love to her, drinking copious wine, pouring his heart out to her and repeating the cycle once more. It was odd to tell someone all of his innermost feelings. Talking about such things made him feel weak…vulnerable even. No one should possess that kind of power over him but he'd given it all over to her last night. The former Hyuuga held every last piece of him. Did she realize how powerful that made her?
With a smirk, he grabbed the grey nozzle end of the hose and pointed it at the drooping rose bush. A strange emptiness still occupied his heart. It was the space that couldn't be filled…not yet at least. However, he still remembered his slurred promises to Hinata to get help. He'd see that quack of a therapist since it made Hinata smile at the prospect. He was also going to take time off for the first time since the accident, elders and shareholders be damned. Hiroto needed a swift kick in the ass and Hajime needed someone to remind him that he was not a robot. Hikari…well, he wasn't quite sure what Hikari needed to get better but he knew she needed him. If yesterday was any indication, she was still the same rambunctious little girl. He just had to help her find her voice.
Sasuke shook his head at his trouble children and watched as the gentle spray of water coated the bushes. Behind him, he heard the glass door slide open and the creek of the deck as someone stepped onto it. He turned around to see his wife standing near the back door in nothing more than a crème silk robe that clung delightfully to her figure. It was something she would have never considered doing when they'd first met but he certainly enjoyed the sight of her now. She ran a hand through her tousled hair and gave him a look that was halfway between curious and confused. Smirking, he shoved one of his hands into his pockets and turned back to watering her-no their garden.
"You do realize how unbecoming it is of an Uchiha to sleep in right? I thought you knew better by now."
To be continued…
W is for Family
"There is nothing more important than family."